Fluid-actuated control device



Dec. 29, 1925- 1,567,435

F. A. GAUGER ET AL FLUID ACTUATED CONTROL DEVICE Filed Feb. 14, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HEM r "a A Dec. 29,1925. 1,567,435

F. A. GAUGER ET AL FLUID ACTUATED CONTROL DEVICE Filed Feb. 14, 1921 2 Sheets-SheetB Frank A. augeg Roy W Johnson.

Patented Dec. 29, 1925.. p Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-FRANK A. GAUGER AND BOY JOHNSON, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNORS,

BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO TIME-O-STAT CORPORATION, OF MILWAUKEE, WIS- v CONSIN.

FLUID-ACTUATED CONTROL DEVICE.

Application filed February 1 4, 1921. Serial No. 444,944. To all whom it may concern: which is capable of ready attachment to Be it known that we, FRAXK A. GAUGER water heaters or air compressors that are and Ro V. Join-son, both citizens of the now in use without the necessity of expen- United States and residents of Milwaukee, sive additional fixtures or parts or which 5 in the county of lHilwaukce and State of may be applied thereto at the time of their Visconsin, have invented new and useful manufacture without appreciably increas- Improvements in Fluid-Actuated Control ing the cost thereof.

Devices; and we do hereby declare that the lrVith the above and other objects in view following is a full, clear, and exact descripwhich will appear as the description pro- !Otion thereof. ceeds, our invention resides in the novel This invention relates to certain new and construction, combination and arrangement useful improvements in fluid actuated deof parts substantially as hereinafter devices and refers more particularly to such scribed and more particularly defined by a device capable of a diversity of uses. the appended claims, it being understood 15 The present automatic type of household that such changes in the precise embodiwater heating device, in which a valve is ment of the herein disclosed invention may operated upon the opening of the hot water be made as come within the scope of the faucet to light the heater burner, is subclaims. ject to many objections, one of which is its In the accompanying drawings, we have il- 2 expensiveness of operation due to the trelustrated two complete examples of the mendous flame that is necessary in order to physical embodiment of our invention con insure the proper heating of the water as it structed according to the best modes we have is drawn through the heater. Furthermore so far devised for the practical applications this type of device does not permit the heatof the principles thereof, and in which:

ing of a full tank of water as the water is Figure 1 is an elevational view of a water heated only as it is drawn through the heater heating system equipped with our improved coils. fluid actuated burner controlling device;

Hence with the above and other objections Figure 2 is a view part in section and to the existing types of automatic water part in elevation taken longitudinally 30 heating devices in mind, this invention has through the fluid actuated device and the for one of objects to provide means opervalve member positioned within the burner able by the full opening of the water faucet fuel supply line;

to light the heater burner without with- Figure 3 is a view illustrating the manner drawing the water from the supply tank of connecting the fluid actuated device with and operable upon a partial opening of the the fuel control valve, said view being taken faucet to extinguish the burner and permit on the line 33 of Figure 2;

the withdrawing of the water. Figure 4 is a view in elevation of a pres- It is another object of this invention to sure tank and a compressor for supplying provide a fluid control device in which a air to said tank and illustrating another use casing is utilized having an inlet and an of our improved fluid actuated device, and outlet, the inlet of which is connected with a Figure 5 is a view part in section and part source of fluid supply and which is conin elevation taken longitudinally through trolled by a valve member, said valve memthat form of our invention depicted in her being operated automatically upon the Figure 4.

5 fluid entering the inlet reaching a predeter- Referring now more particularly to Figmined rate of flow to close the outlet from ures 1 to 3 inclusive, 6 designates a water the casing.- tankof any well known construction and A further object of this invention is to having a Water supply pipe 7 connected provide a fluid actuated device of the class therewith and an. outlet pipe 8 leading described, the principle of which is equally therefrom at some point near the top thereof applicable for use in connection with air for supplying the water in said tank to a compressors as well as in connectionwith faucet 9. The water in the tank 6 is water heating devices or the like. adapted to be heated by a device 10 which A still further object of this invention is is of the usual construction consisting of 3 to provide a device of the class described an outer casing in which is enclosed a water coil 11 having its lower end connected with the lower portion of tank 6 by a pipe 12 and its upper end connected with the top of the tank by a pipe 13, said coil being in the path of the flames from a burner 14.

The burner 14 is connected with a source of fuel supply by a pipe line 15 and said pipe line has a control valve 16 positioned therein and adapted to be operated by nieansactuated by the flow of fluid through the pipe line 8 and now about to be debest shown in Figure 2. The valve member 24 is normally held in en ga, ,'ement with its seat by an expansile spring 25 coiled about that portion of the valve stem confined within the bore of the nipple outwardly of the partition 22, and having its ends abutting said artition and a removable cap or plug 26 threaded on the" outer end of the valve stem. 'The plug 26 is movable into the bore of the nipple to overcome'spring 25 and unseat valve 24t ermit the flow of 7 n1 order "to insure the lighting of the er 14 upon the unseating of the valve .24"'- anpilot 27 is provided which obtains-1 Lfuel through an opening 28 communicatin' with the interior of the valve 16 on the si e of the partition 17 connected with the supply side ofthe ig line 15. v

he ipe line 8 leading from the tank 6 to the aucet 9 is medially disconnected and has the end 28 thereof connected with the inlet 29 of a casing 30 and the end 31 thereof connected with the outlet 32 of said casing. Said casing is provided with a partition 33 between its inlet and outlet which is centrally bored as at 34 to provide a communi eating port in substantial axial ali nment with the axis of the valve stem 23 t rough which passesthe rod or stem 35 of a plunger 36 slidably mounted in that portion of the casing with which the end 28 of that part of line 8 leading directly from the tank 6' is connected.

The rod or stem 35 passes outwardly through an opening in-the wall 36 of the casing nearest the valve16 and has its extreme outer end positioned adjacent the cap 26 carried by the valve stem 23. The casing 30 is provided with a stuffing box or gland 37 atthe point where the stem 35 passes outwardly thereof inorder to prevent the leak- With this construction it will be ob- The inlet 29 has a partition 40 dividing" the same from that portion of the casing in which the plunger is mounted and said partition has a large and a small port -11 and 42 respectively, the port 41 communi eating with the side of the plunger nearest the partition 33 and the port 42.communicating with the other side of said plunger when the same is in its position freeing the port 34 to permit the flow of fluid through the casing from the pipe section 28 to the pipe section 31. The port 41 is of such an area that when the faucet 9 is fully opened the flow of fluid into the casing will be of such a pressure as to more than fill said port area as a result of which the pressure acting on the rear of the plunger 36, by reason of thelport 42 communicating therewith, will become greater than the forceof spring 38 and move the plunger toward the left with reference to Figure 2. As the plunger moves to the left the area of port'41 decreases and the pressure thus exerted on the outer face of the plunger 36 becomes greater to supplythe force necessary to overcome the increased tension of the spring 38 as the same is compressed. The plunger 36 moves against theaction ofthe spring 38 until its valve part 39 completely closes the port 34 and revents the flow of fluid from one part of pipe 8 to the other and at the same time opens the valve 24 in the manner hereinbefore described to light the burner 14.

As long as the faucet 9 is left fully open the plunger 36 will be retained in its position holding the valve 24 open and disconnecting the sections of the i e 8 and when the operator is of the opinion that the water is sufiiciently hot the faucet 9 is closed as the result of which the spring 38 will force-the plunger 36 to its normal position, the fluid between the plunger and the end wall 43 of the casing being permitted to pass through a minute equalizing hole 44 in the plunger 36 when the valve 24 will also be closed by itss ring 25. The operator may then open the aucet 9 to any point up to that where the volume of water passing through the pipe 8 is not greater than the area of port 41. i

The device is adjustable as the wall 43 is in the form of a threaded plug adjustably secured in the outer end of the casing and is furtl'ier adjusted by a threaded stem carried by said cap with its inner end abutting the plunger 36 when in its normal position and its outer end exteriorly of the casing and provided with a knurled head 46. A stuffing box or gland 47 is provided to prevent the leakage of fluid from the casing about the stem 45.

The valve member 16 and casing 30 are readily detachably secured together in their boss 21 of the valve 16, said upstanding ing proper position of alignment by a bracket member 48 having one end secured as at 49 to the casing'30 and its other end struck upwardly as at 50 and bored to receive the part 50 being detachably secured to said valve boss by suitable fastening means 51. The casing 30 is also provided with an opening which is normally closed by a removable drain plug 52 in order to permit the drainof said casing without disconnecting the pipe line 8.

In Figures 4 and 5 our improved fluid actuated device is illustrated as in use in connection with a compressor 53 and is positioned within the pipe line 54 which leads from the compressor to a storage tank 55. The present method of connecting a compressor'with a storage tank is objectionable as the compressor is forced to overcome, beginning with its very first stroke, the full pressure within the tank 55, as a result of which a very powerful drive motor (not shown) is necessitated. By positioning our device within the line 54 intermediate the compressor 53 and a check valve 56, the need of an extra large drive means is eliminated as the first power strokes of the compressor are forced to overcome nothing more than atmospheric pressureand do not supply the tank 55 until the operation of the compres sor is suflicient to overcome within the tank. vThat form tion depicted in Figures 4 and 5 is operated on the same identical principle as hereinbefore described and the only material structural change is the provision of an additional outlet 57, the other outlet 32 being discharged into the atmosphere.

\Vhen the compressor 53 is started, the

the pressure fluid compressed within its cylinder will- .pass into the casing'30 through the inlet, and by reason ofthe check valve 56 being held closed by the pressure within'the tank 55, the fluid will take the course of least resistance and flow through port 34 and into the atmosphere through the outlet 32. hen the compressor 53 isworking at sufficient speed to produce fluid .the pressure of which is too great for the area of port 41, which pressure is preferably equal to or slightly less than that within tank 55, the pressure between plunger 36 and wall 43 overcomes the spring 38 and moves the of our invenplunger upwardly until the valve part 39 seats with the port 34 to close the same when the inlet 41 and outlet 57 will be in direct communication, as the result of which the fluid will flow through line 54 into the storage tank 55.

Y \Ve claim:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet, means connecting the inlet with a source of fluid, a plunger member mounted in the casing for movement to and from a position disconnecting the inlet and outlet, mechanical means normally urging the plunger member to a position with the inlet interposed between the inlet and the interior of the casing, one of the ports communicating with the casing on the side of the plunger nearest the outlet and another of the ports communicating with the other side of the plunger, whereby an increase in the rate of flow of fluid beyond the capacity of the first port causes the excess fluid to exert a pressure against the other side of the plunger and move the same against the mechanical urging means to close the outlet.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet, means connecting the inlet with a source of fluid, a plunger member mounted in the casing for movement to and from a position disconnecting the inlet and outlet, means normally urging the plunger member to a position with the inlet and outlet connected, a plurality of ports interposed between the inlet and the interior of the easing, one of the ports communicating with the interior of the casing on the side of the plunger nearest the outlet and another of the ports communicating with the other side of the plunger, whereby'an increase in the rate of flow of fluid through the casing beyond the capacity of the first port causes the excess fluid to exert a pressure against the other side of the plunger and move the same against the urging means to close the outlet, and equalizing means permitting the return of said plunger member to its position clearing the outlet upon a decrease in the rate of flow of fluid through the inlet.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a casing, a partition wall dividing the interior of the easing into an inlet and an outlet chamber, an inlet communicating with the inlet chamber, an outlet communicating with the outlet chamber, a port in the partition wall connecting the inlet and outlet chambers, a plunger reciprocally mounted in the inlet chamber, a valve head carried by the plunger and engageable with the port to disconnect the chambers upon movement of the plunger toward the port wall, a plunger rod fixed to the plunger and passed through the port and through the end wall of the casing at the outlet chamber, spring means normally urging the plum.

ger and the valve head carried thereby free of the port to permit unrestricted flow between the inlet and. outlet, a wall separating the inlet from the inlet chamber and provided with a large and a small opening, the small opening communicating with the inlet chamber between said plunger and the outer wall thereof and the larger opening communicating with the inlet chamber between the plunger and the outlet whereby fluid may be withdrawn from the outlet up to a rate of flow equivalent to the capacity of the larger opening and an increase in the rate of withdrawal from said outlet beyond the capacity of said larger opening causes the excess pressure to impinge against the outer side of the plunger and move the same to its positionwith the valve head closing the port, and a passage through the piston to permit the free return of the piston to its normal position upon the rate of withdrawal from said outlet dropping to a predetermined degree.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

FRANK A. GAUGER. ROY w. JOHNSON. 

